HOUSTON (Feb. 26, 2025) – Houston Dynamo 2 signed defender Felipe Andrade to a one-year loan with an option to buy from Fluminense Football Club and goalkeeper Pedro Cruz on a full transfer from Futebol Clube Ska Brasil, the Club announced today.
“Felipe and Pedro are two first team prospects that joined our club by signing Dynamo 2 contracts,” said President of Soccer Pat Onstad. “We continue to use our MLS NEXT Pro team to develop both local Academy players and top South American talents with the goal of preparing them for MLS. We have high hopes for these players and look forward to monitoring their progress over the year in our first and second team environments.”
Both players are training with Houston Dynamo FC’s first team on a regular basis and will feature regularly with Dynamo Dos during the 2025 season.
“Felipe is a high potential young player from the renowned Academy of Fluminense in Brazil,” said Onstad. “He has the versatility to play multiple positions in our system with a fierce competitiveness and exceptional athletic tools. We look forward to his continued development in our club environment in Houston.”
Andrade kicked off his youth career at Fluminense with the U-17 squad, quickly progressing through the ranks and featuring for the club’s U-20 and U-23 squads. The 22-year-old defender delivered impressive performances in the 2022 Copa São de Futebol Júnior and the 2022 Campeonato Carioca U-20, where he featured in all 17 matches and scored three goals, while helping the team secure its second consecutive Carioca title.
Andrade made his Fluminense first team debut on June 21, 2023, versus Clube Atlético Mineiro and has since gone on to make 27 appearances across all competitions for the senior team, gaining valuable experience through the Brasileiro Série A, Copa Libertadores and Copa do Brasil.
“Pedro is a promising young goalkeeper who matriculated through Ska Brasil and the Bahia youth system in Brazil,” Onstad continued. “He has a very high ceiling due to his competitive mentality, physical tools and technical ability. We look forward to helping him fulfill his potential under the guidance of our excellent goalkeeping staff in Houston, led by Tim Hanley and Ryan Thompson.”
Cruz joins the team after spending the past two seasons with his own team Ska Brasil and on loan with Brazilian Séria A side Esporte Clube Bahia. The shot stopper first joined the Ska Brasil in 2023 at the U-20 level, where he made nine appearances and recorded four clean sheets. He later featured in three more matches for the Ska Brasil U-20 squad in the 2024 Copa São de Futebol Júnior before going on loan to Bahia.
At Bahia, Cruz made 23 appearances with the U-20 team, including both legs of the Campeonato Baiano U-20 final against Clube Vitória. He played a key role in securing a 3-0 clean sheet victory in the first leg and helped the team clinch the title with a 1-1 draw in the second leg. The goalkeeper also made his professional debut with Bahia’s first team on March 27, 2024, in a Copa do Nordeste match versus Botafogo Futebol Clube.
TRANSACTION: Houston Dynamo 2 signed defender Felipe Andrade on loan from Fluminense Football Club through 2025 with an option to buy.
TRANSACTION: Houston Dynamo 2 signed goalkeeper Pedro Cruz on a full transfer from Futebol Clube Ska Brasil.
